CAO Criollo Conquistador 6 1/8 x 52 - Cigar Review
Written by Jonathan Byrd
Thursday, 20 July 2006
This Conquistador has got my hands tied
CAO Criollo Conquistador 6 1/8 x 52
The time has arrived. I have been waiting to smoke this cigar for at least a month. Day after day I look at it and wonder if it is the right time. Like plucking the tobacco leaves from the plant it takes certain knowledge to know when is the perfect time. Today, though it is stifling hot and humid, is the day. The CAO Criollo is the cigar. Expectations abound and I do so hope it doesn’t disappoint my yearning palette.
The CAO brand of cigars has produced another great cigar. I began my fascination with CAO with their Gold line of cigars. I got hooked on that line. It has a creamy nutty finish and it was one of the first cigars that I ever smoked on a regular basis. I have a fond somewhat paternal feeling toward these cigars so I will readily admit that I am quite partial to their cigars. With that caveat, I will get to the business of reviewing this cigar.
CAO Criollo Conquistador 6 1/8 x 52 ( Torpedo ) Wrapper: Nicaraguan Criollo Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan
When you buy a cigar you at least want it to look good. Think about it, if you spent $8 on a cigar wouldn’t you at least want it to look great? I would, and that is what I got when I bought my CAO Criollo Conquistador. The superb earth tone Criollo wrapper showed nary a vein and was perfect throughout the length of the cigar. The band was a neutral color that blended well into the wrapper.
When you buy a cigar you at least want it to look good. Think about it, if you spent $8 on a cigar wouldn’t you at least want it to look great? I would, and that is what I got when I bought my . The superb earth tone Criollo wrapper showed nary a vein and was perfect throughout the length of the cigar. The band was a neutral color that blended well into the wrapper.
The cigar was a breeze to light. It didn’t give me any problems at all and the match took to the whole cigar which gave it a nice even burn from the beginning. The ash will grow long if you let it; perfect white ash with a touch of gray in it.
This is a medium to full body smoke according to CAO and I would have to agree with them on this one. It has a nice rich taste to it that is neither too strong nor too casual. Sometimes you get a cigar that you hold in your hand and gently smoke and realize that you have allowed to smoke a king of a cigar. The construction on this cigar is so perfect it amazes me. It is as if the whole cigar slowly burns down but it still retains its shape. As if you hold it in your hand and it slowly turns to ash, but yet it never changes its form.
Maybe I am just in a generous mood or maybe it is 100 degree temperatures that are getting to me, but I would have to say that the CAO Criollo Conquistador is one of my favorite cigars. It is a pleasure to smoke this cigar. Being a reviewer of cigars sometimes it is my duty to smoke cigars that I would rather not smoke. Some have a bad reputation but I have a duty to smoke them all to give a fair and honest opinion on all of them. This one certainty isn’t one of those hard to smoke cigars. The CAO Criollo Conquistador is a cigar you can safely hedge your bets on by buying them by the box full….how many times have you heard me mention buying a BOX of cigars?
Give this Nicaraguan puro a chance and you will be hooked. That is great for your palette, but hard on your wallet. Well, dang it, screw that wallet and go and buy some for yourself.
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and we can do some cigar chatting.
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